5 Fun Things to do in Castroville, Texas, in less than 2-hour

With a size of less than 3 mi², it’s not a surprise if you can experience all the fun things to do in Castroville, Texas, in less than 2 hours.

On one Thanksgiving Break, we made a quick visit to town for the very first time. In that short time, we visited 5 main attractions around downtown Castroville, The Little Alsace of Texas.

Let us check out those five fun things to do in Castroville.

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Fun things to do in Castroville, Texas.

1. Visiting Alsatian Steinbach Haus (Visitor Center)

Undoubtedly, the Alsatian Steinbach Haus is the most attractive Alsatian architecture in town. It was a gift from the citizens of Alsace, France, to the City of Castroville. The house was built in Walbach, France, between 1618 and 1648.

The Steinbach House serves as a Visitor Center, and there’s a small museum on the second floor. It is full of period furniture, dishware, and other items donated by the people of Alsace. You can visit it from Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. It is free, and taking pictures inside is allowed.

Address: 203 US-90. Ph.: (830) 538-9838.

2. Grab a pastry at Haby’s Alsatian Bakery

Established in 1974, Haby’s Alsatian Bakery is known for its fresh and large selection of pastries and sweet goods. They also make all kinds of bread, like wheat, rye, sandwiches, and pumpernickel, as well as tortillas and dinner rolls.

When we were there, it was the day before Thanksgiving Day. Customers were lining up to pick up their pie orders. We grabbed a bag of sweet pastry that looked like a croissant. They were so good that after we ate them all, I realized I had forgotten to take a picture of them. Oh well.

It is open Monday through Saturday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. and is closed on Sundays, New Year, Christmas, and Easter.

Don’t forget to check the Alsatian mural at Haby’s Bakery, painted by the Alsatian artist Patrice Hoff.

Address: 207 US Highway 90 East. Ph.: (830) 538-2118.

3. Do a Historic Tours

Another fun thing to do in Castroville, Texas, is a historic walking tour. You will see over 50 historic homes and commercial structures in Castroville from the mid to late 1800s. One of the best ways to see it is by following the Castroville Historic Walking Tour map. Since we were tight on schedules, we did it by driving. I think biking would be a fun thing to do besides walking.

Pick up the map at the Chamber office. If you want to do a guided tour, contact Castro Garden Club at (830) 931-2262 at least two weeks in advance.

Most of the structures are located downtown, across from the Landmark Inn. Make sure you don’t trespass the boundaries by looking up for the signs put by the residents on their yards.

4. Visit Landmark Inn State Historic Site and Bed & Breakfast

Beginning as a one-story private residence, the Landmark Inn converted into a tavern stand and store, then became a roadside inn and larger mercantile. Today, it serves as a Bed & Breakfast with eight historic rooms.

Visitors can tour the Landmark Inn exhibit area or take a self-guided walk of the historic grounds. We only visited the grounds since they closed the exhibit when we were there. Call the Inn for a group tour.

Address: 402 Florence Street. Ph.: (830) 931-2133.

5. Say a prayer at St. Louis Catholic Church

Named after the French King, St. Louis, the church you see today is the third one built between 1868 and 1870. The first St. Louis church still stands on the grounds of the historic Moye Retreat Center.

Every year, on the Sunday nearest August 25, the parishioner observes the feast of St. Louis. It’s an all-day celebration that you might want to watch. When visiting, please respect the parishioner who’s there to pray.

Address: 610 Madrid Street. Ph.: (830) 931-2826.

Add these if you have a whole day in Castroville Texas

Paradise Canyon

You can do many things in Medina River in the Paradise Canyon, such as fish, swimming, picnics, camping under the stars, and bird watching. Even people get baptized in this river. 

Address: 2222 Country Road 2615, Rio Medina, TX 78066. Ph.: (830) 751-9911.

Castroville Regional Park & Cross Hill

Enjoy outdoor activities like swimming, camping, hiking, tennis, basketball, and sand volleyball in this park. You can tour the Garden of Roots, a flower garden shaped like the Alsace in France. Or hike to Cross Hill to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Castroville and the surrounding area. It is also a premier destination for birding and butterfly watching, and the park also features 40 complete pull-thru RV sites.

Address: 816 Alsace St. Ph.: (830) 931-0033.

Notes from visiting Castroville

• With all the small boutiques, stores, cafes, and unique Bed & Breakfast or Airbnbs near downtown, Castroville is one of the best places for girls’ weekend getaways.
• If you are visiting San Antonio for the fourth, seventh, or eleventh time, you must make a drive here. Seriously!
• For husbands who don’t like shopping, enjoy coffee at Magnolia Gasoline Cafe when the wives are shopping. They offer free WiFi.

A Brief History about Castroville

• Castroville was founded in 1844 by Henri Castro. 
• In February 1842, he successfully obtained a land grant from Texas president Sam Houston and the Texas government with a contract to colonize vacant Texas land.
• Castro actively recruited colonists from all over France, especially from the Alsace.
• On September 3rd, Castro and the first European immigrant settlers set up camp in this area. They built a communal shelter to hold supplies and house the settlers until their homes could be built.
• On September 12th the town site was named Castro-Ville, and public officials were elected.

Where is Castroville in Texas?

Castroville is located on the south side of Texas Hill Country. A visit to Castroville is a good day trip from San Antonio (+/- 30 min drive to the west), Fredericksburg (+/- 1 hr 20 min drive to the south), and even from Austin (+/- 1 hr 30 min drive to the southwest.)

We were visiting from Kerrville, driving south past Bandera to Hondo, then turning onto US-90 E towards San Antonio. Castroville is located right on US-90 E. It is around 1 hour 15 minutes drive from Kerrville.

If you haven’t visited Castroville, Texas, yet, I suggest you plan a trip here soon. You will enjoy the town like we did, either visiting with your family, girlfriends, or even by yourself. You won’t believe your eyes how a small city like Castroville offers fun things to do to its visitors.